According to a recent study, the Arctic is now just as polluted with plastic as densely populated areas. Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven report that there are high concentrations of microplastics in water, in rivers, on the seabed, on uninhabited beaches and even in ice and snow. This has consequences for the living beings there, but possibly also for the climate.
The Arctic is seen as largely untouched wilderness — but that’s no longer in line with reality, says AWI biologist Melanie Bergmann, co-author of the analysis, which was published in the journal “Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.”
Not only is climate change hitting the northern latitudes particularly hard, but the flood of plastic has long since reached the Arctic Ocean. “Our study shows that plastic pollution in the Arctic is already comparable to that in other parts of the world,” the researchers report.
For the overview, the AWI team, together with researchers from Norway, Canada and the Netherlands, evaluated and summarized studies on plastic intrusion in the Arctic. Some 19 to 23 million tons of plastic waste end up in the world’s waters every year, which is equivalent to nearly two truckloads per minute, according to the AWI.
Plastic production will double by 2045
Because plastic is very stable, it accumulates in the oceans and breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces over time. And the deluge of waste is likely to increase, the researchers said. Experts fear that global plastic production is likely to double by 2045.
According to the review study, a large part of the plastic waste in the European part of the Arctic comes from fishing: nets and ropes are deliberately dumped into the sea or are lost. Garbage comes from arctic settlements into the sea, but it also comes from afar.
Ocean currents bring plastic to the Arctic
In particular, sea currents from the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea and via the Bering Strait from the North Pacific Ocean contribute to the influx. The rivers also bring plastic with them, including from Siberia. Air carries small microplastics north.
Bergmann explains that only a few studies have examined the effects of the plastic flood specifically on Arctic marine organisms. However, there is much to suggest that the impacts are just as severe as in better-studied regions. For example, ingested microplastics are also likely to lead to reduced growth and reproduction, physiological stress and inflammatory responses in the tissues of marine animals in the Arctic.
Microplastics change the properties of snow and ice
Aside from the negative effects of plastic on marine organisms, it can also promote climate change. “There is an urgent need for research here,” Bergmann says. “Because the first studies prove that embedded microplastics alter the properties of sea ice and snow.”
Dark particles in the ice could therefore ensure that it absorbs more sunlight and thus melts faster. This in turn increases global warming. In addition, plastic particles in the atmosphere form condensation nuclei for clouds and rain, which can affect the weather and climate in the long term. “The deluge of plastic is hitting ecosystems that are already extremely stressed,” Bergmann points out. The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the world due to climate change.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
